- The Trump administration is supporting
an attempted coup in Venezuela.
The latest on what'shappening on the ground.
Punishing the President, whyone Democratic Congresswoman
is pushing party leaders tocensor the Commander-in-Chief.
And as campaign 2020 moves forward,
more presidential hopefulsare releasing policy agendas.
We'll look at one candidate'sfive trillion dollar plan
to end climate change.
All this and more tonight on Faith Nation.
(upbeat music)
Chaos in the streets of Caracas tonight
as the fight for the futureof Venezuela rages on.
The situation is fluid nowwith a government uprising
leading to violence.
Thanks for joining us forFaith Nation, I'm John Jessup.
- And I'm Jenna Browder.
The unrest has beenbuilding for months now
against President Nicolas Maduro
after what many call an unfair election.
Venezuela's oppositionleader Juan Guaido is backed
by many other governmentsincluding the United States.
- CBN News National SecurityCorrespondent, Eric Phillips
joins us now.
Eric, both President Trumpand Vice President Pence
are offering their supportfor Guaido on Twitter.
- Yeah, that's right, John,the President tweeting last
this afternoon and saying
that he's monitoring the situation closely
and that the U.S. standswith the people of Venezuela.
Now the powder keg beganto blow this morning
after Guaido, who's assumedthe role of interim president
called for Venezuelans to hit the streets
and take back their freedom.
It's the most serious challenge
to the current regime to date.
(cheers)
Throngs of people answeredthe call of their leader
clashing with the militaryover the true leadership
of the country.
(gun fires)
Sounds of gun fire and plumes of tear gas
throughout Caracas as thepush against dictator,
Nicolas Maduro and his regime swelled.
Flanked by armed guardsmenand prominent activists,
Leopoldo Lopez, Guaidoissued the call to action.
- [Interpreter] I inviteyou immediately to activate.
I invite you immediately tocover the streets of Venezuela.
It is the moment, the moment is now,
the moment of not only calm insanity
but it is also the momentof courage and sanity.
(gun fires)
- [Eric] A faction ofthe country's military
that backs Guaido joined the scores
of citizens in the effort.
The United States andseveral other nations
also recognize him asthe interim president
until another election can be held.
U.S. Senator, Marco Rubio tweeting,
"After years of suffering,freedom is waiting for people
of Venezuela.
Do not let them take thisopportunity from you.
Now is the moment to take to the streets
in support of your legitimate,constitutional government.
Do not allow this moment to slip away.
It may not come again."
Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo saying,
"The U.S. government fullysupports the Venezuelan people
in their quest for freedom and democracy.
Democracy cannot be defeated."
And National SecurityAdvisor, John Bolton wrote,
"The end of Maduro's usurpationof power is possible.
Venezuela's armed forcesshould stand loyal
to their people and the constitution."
Venezuela's Socialist Party Chief
went on state TV todefend President Maduro
while criticizing the U.S.for supporting the uprising.
- [Interpreter] What isabsolutely evident here
is the United States, inthe face of ineptitude,
in the face of not beingable to win elections
against the revolution.
They prefer a coup withoutregard for the consequences.
- Venezuela's governmentplayed down the uprising,
saying it was putting downa small coup on attempt
by military traitors workingwith right wing opponents
but that quote, "small coup"
was consisted of a few thousand people
was enough to make Spain closeit's consulate in Venezuela
because of the uncertainty.
- Well, Eric this afternoon,National Security Advisor,
John Bolton offered a starkassessment of what would happen
if Guaido's efforts fail.
- [Eric] And that's right Johnand Bolton has been tweeting
all day long about theimportance of this uprising
and here's why.
He believes it's failure could be final.
- Really now what we'reseeing is the people
of Venezuela, this has beenbuilding for a long time
that if this effort fails,
they will sink into a dictatorship
from which there are veryfew possible alternatives.
It's a very delicate moment.
I wanna stress again, thePresident wants to see a peaceful
transfer of power from Maduro to Guaido,
that possibility stillexists if enough figures
depart from the regimeand support the opposition
and that's what we'd like to see.
We wanna see Defense Minister, Padrino,
the Chief Judge of theSupreme Court, Maikel Moreno
in particular, Rafael Hernandez Dala
of the presidential guard.
- As he said a verydelicate moment in history
and all of the eyes ofthe world are watching.
And while the U.S. vigorouslysupports the opposition,
fighting for democracy,there are other major powers
that support the current regime
including China, Russia and Turkey.
John and Jenna.
- Alright, Eric, thank you very much.
Well, Jason Marczak is the Director
of the Adrienne ArshtLatin American Center
at the Atlantic Council.
And he joins us now formore, Jason good to see you,
thanks for joining us.
- Thanks Jenna.
- A lot at stake in Venezuela.
- A tremendous amount at stake (mumbles).
This is a movement in Venezuela
represents potentially the next wave
of the ability to actuallyretake the country for democracy.
As said in your reports thereare more than 50 countries
around the world thatrecognize Juan Guaido
as the interim President.
Most major Democraciesacross Latin America
led by the Colombians, the Brazilians,
Venezuela's neighbors as well as
most European Union countries as well.
The Colombians in particular,Venezuela's neighbor
have been steadfast in their desire
for a return to democracyand for Nicolas Maduro
to leave power.
- What we're seeing today, Jason
has been a long time coming.
You wrote today that Venezuelaand the United States
should be prepared for the long game
when it comes to this pushfor the fight for freedom.
Why did you say that?
- Well, because if youlook at the history of,
you look at the last 20 years in Venezuela
ever since Hugo Chavez first came to power
and there have been many attempts
to wrestle control away from Hugo Chavez
and now Nicolas Maduro.
Of course, now there's addedurgency because of the despair
of which the country hasfallen in the last few years.
But things in Venezuela do not change
from one day to the next.
There is momentum that needs to be built
and there is a longereffort that needs to be seen
for Democratic forces to prevail.
And so even thoughMaduro will likely remain
in the presidential palaceat the end of the day today,
that doesn't mean that the efforts
of the interim governments have failed.
- Jason, just lookinglong term, big picture,
what does happen nextin the immediate future
and in the long term?
- Well, in the immediatefuture what's gonna be critical
is that the more than 50 countries
that support the interim government
are steadfast in theirsupport and nothing happens
to the interim president, to Juan Guaido.
If Maduro were to put him in prison,
were to harm him in any way orothers who are close to him,
his chief of staff hasbeen in prison actually
for over a month now,
that could be a potential game changer.
You also have multipleinternational institutions,
the Organization of American States
that recognizes the interim governments,
the Inter-American Development Bank,
the primary lender for Latin America
also recognizes the interim government
and not Nicolas Maduro.
And so you seen a, over the last 90 days,
a ground swell of international support
for Nicolas Maduro and for Juan Guido
and that support's going to continue,
critical to continue moving forward
and also for mobilization to the streets
in support of the interim government.
I think the message thatthe Trump administration
has put out in the last week.
We hosted, the Atlantic Council last week,
the special representation for Venezuela
and that's a message thatthe future of Venezuela
can be inclusive of the militaryand members of Chavismo,
if they take this moment toalign with forces of democracy.
- Jason Marczak of the Atlantic Council.
Jason, thanks for being with us.
- Thanks for having me.
- Well, to campaign 2020.
Joe Biden is continuinghis push to show America
why he should replace DonaldTrump in the White House.
In an exclusive interview with ABC News,
is Robin Roberts today, Biden called it
an issue of morality in America.
- The President has a motto,make America great again.
Do you have one?
- Make America moralagain, make America return
to the essence of who we are,the dignity of the country,
the dignity of people totreating our people with dignity.
End this God awful delivereddivision that's being taken
in order to separating peopleto aggrandize his own power.
- And since announcinglast week, Biden has yet
to release any firm policy initiatives.
- And that's why otherDemocrats are trying
to grab the spotlight by goingspecific with their agendas.
And now one time topcontender, Beto O'Rourke
is out front with the firstcomprehensive proposal.
- (speaks in foreign language)from the Yosemite Valley
here in California where we are
announcing the most ambitious climate plan
in the history of the United States.
- [John] The former Texas Congressmen
is trying to reignite hisonce bright but fading star
as the first candidate tolay out a major policy plan
and his focus is on climate change.
- I want you to be part of this effort.
- [John] The 10 year,five trillion dollar plan
he says would require allAmericans to get involved
and touch every sectorfrom housing to healthcare
and transportation to pensions.
The four part proposalwhich start on day one
of an O'Rourke presidency,like recommitting
to the Paris Climate Accords
and undoing the Trumpadministration's environmental agenda.
It would also raise taxes onbusinesses and the wealthy
to pay for the sweeping plan
which aims to cut carbonemissions to net zero by 2050.
- It's hard to argue thatthere's anything more important
facing this country,this generation today.
- [John] Naming climate change
as the greatest threat America faces,
the plan gives O'Rourke thechance to potentially avoid
recent characterizationsas a political lightweight.
After an initial hot start O'Rourke
has been steadily losingsteam in the polls.
Well, joining us now isDan Cox, research fellow
at the American Enterprise Institute.
Dan, thank you for being with us.
- Great to be here.
- First off, Mayor Pete's immigration plan
appears to be pretty vague but do voters
really care about that right now
or is it more about policyat this point in the game?
- Well, I think immigration.
- I'm sorry, personality over policy.
- Yeah, personality'sgonna dominate initially
but I think voters areparticularly in the primary
gonna really care aboutnational issues and immigration
is certainly one that's beenon the radar for Democrats
and Democratic candidates for a long time.
- Do you think that will change as we head
into the general election
and will they ever haveto take a firm for once,
we kinda wanna keep it kind of gray,
will they ever have to take a firm stance
on some of these issues orcan someone like Joe Biden
just sort of scoot inthere and take the primary
without really giving a lot of details?
- Well, I think if you'rethe front runner, right
and Joe Biden clearly is according to CNN
and (mumbles) Poll he'salmost at 40% now of support.
So I think there's somedanger in being out there
with a lot of policy proposalsthat people can attack
and take apart so I think hemaybe forced to at some point
but for now he's playing it safe.
- As you just mentioned with Joe Biden
he's at the head of thesepolls but he hasn't gotten in
very deep with the policy either
so what do you make of that?
What's spurring his lead?
- Well, I think his eightyears with Obama really.
I mean, if you look at his support,
he actually has greater supportamong non-white Democrats
than white Democrats.
And I think that has a lotto do with his eight years
by President BarackObama and there's a lot
of earned goodwill amongDemocrats for that.
- Dan, your thoughts on BetoO'Rourke's climate plan.
- Well, it's certainly anaggressive comprehensive plan.
It's getting critiquefrom the left a little bit
because it's not aggressive enough.
So we're getting some folkswho were really supportive
of the sort of initialroad of the climate,
sort of energy which isnot, it wasn't like a plan,
sort of over arching principles.
But I think that thebiggest take away is that
it's going to be anincredibly important issue.
In fact, after healthcare
it's the leading issue for Democrats.
- You just, I think perfectly Segwayed
into the next question.
What is the issue thatthese campaign candidates
should be talking aboutas they head into 2020?
- Well, healthcare whetherit's Medicare for All
or just lowering healthcarecosts is an absolute winner.
It was really important anddecisive in the 2018 election
and will definitely be important.
And Trump's continuingto make it important
in the upcoming 2020 race.
- Alright, Dan thanks somuch for joining us today.
- Great to be here.
- Welcome back.
Democratic leadershipmet with President Trump
at the White House today to discuss
rebuilding America's infrastructure.
They say the President agreedto invest two trillion dollars
into a new plan.
Both House Speaker, Nancy Pelosiand Senate Minority Leader,
Chuck Schumer described today'smeeting with the President
as productive.
- And it was a very constructive meeting.
It's clear that both theWhite House and all of us
wanna get something done on infrastructure
in a big and bold way.
And there was good will in this meeting
and that was different thansome of the other meetings
that we've had which is a very good thing.
- Schumer says infrastructurepriorities includes roads,
broadband and the power grid.
- Up on Capitol Hill, agroup came together today
to defend freshmanCongresswoman Ilhan Omar.
- That's right theevent called Black Women
in Defense of ProgressiveWomen in Congress.
And the main message theyhad, they want the President
to be censored.
Abigail Robertson wasthere and she joins us now
from Capitol Hill.
Abigail, it looked like this crowd
got a little bit rowdy at times.
- That's right John, it wasa very fired up, rowdy crowd
of about 100 people and they were really
calling on Democratic leadership to defend
as you said freshmenCongresswoman Ilhan Omar.
And both Congresswoman Ilhan Omar
and Rashida Tlaib were there
and saying how they don'treally feel supported
by Democrat leadership.
Take a look.
- The thing that upsets theoccupant of the White House,
his goons in the Republicanparty, many of our colleagues
in the Democratic party
(cheers)
is that they can'tstand, they cannot stand
that a refugee, a blackwoman, an immigrant, a Muslim
shows up in Congressthinking she's equal to them.
(cheers)
When this occupant of the WhiteHouse chooses to attack me
we know that that attack isn't for Ilhan,
that attack is thecontinuation of the attacks
that he's leveled againstwomen, against people of color,
against immigrants, against refugees
and certainly against Muslims.
- And as you heard herrefer to President Trump
as the occupant of the White House,
she said today along withthe others at the rally
that they do not call him President Trump
because they don't believehe deserves that title.
- Because when Palestiniansare struggling with occupation
and their dehumanizationisn't being talked about,
that is on us to uplift them.
So I can't ever speak ofIslamophobia and fight for Muslims
if I am not willing tofight against anti-Semitism.
- Like Ilhan we refuse to bequiet on the issue of Israel.
We contest the conflation oflegitimate impassioned critique
of Israel with anti-Semitism.
And the fabrication of anotion that when the left calls
for justice in Palestine,when the left supports BDS,
then it has become the anti-Semitic left.
- Congresswoman Omarhas taken a lot of heat,
many have viewed some ofher comments as anti-Semitic
and as you saw at the rallytoday she was unapologetic
and kind of dug her heels in.
She says she is notanti-Semitic but she also added
that she will continue tospeak her mind about U.S.
and Israel relations and whatshe's seeing with Palestine.
- Alright, Abigail Robertson for us
on Capitol Hill, thank you.
- Well, the Trump administration wants
to designate the Muslim Brotherhood
as a foreign terrorist organization.
The White House saying todaythe President has consulted
with his nationalsecurity team and leaders
in the Middle East andthat the designation
is working through the internal process.
The Muslim Brotherhoodhas served as a catalyst
for other extremistterror groups like Hamas.
If the designation is applied,the U.S. would be aligned
with Egypt, Saudi Arabiaand the United Arab Emirates
identifying the brotherhoodas a terror group.
It's a regional dividing issue
with governments in placeslike Turkey and Indonesia
backing the Muslim Brotherhood.
- Well, today I sat down withSenator Mike Lee of Utah.
We talked about theadministration's announcement
on the Muslim Brotherhood censor
and the possibility of impeachment.
Take a look.
- Well, Senator Lee, good to see you.
- Good to see you, thank you.
- A group on the Hill iscalling for Chuck Schumer
and Nancy Pelosi to censor the President
over what they see as attacks
against Congresswoman Ilhan Omar.
Your thoughts on that.
- I haven't seen such attacks,
I'm not sure what they're talking about.
I do think that anytime youhave a member of Congress
or another elected officialor any other prominent figure
speaking on something, Ithink others have the right
to express disagreement with that.
In so far as they're just complaining
about public disagreementby President Trump
or by anyone else, I don'tthink that is a good reason
to censor someone forcriticizing another's speech.
- Anti-Semitism making headlines again
with the shooting that we sawthis weekend in California.
Democrats, they recently movedforward with this resolution
to condemn anti-Semitism,although some say
it hardly actuallycondemned anti-Semitism,
got a lot of criticism forbeing very watered down.
What do you think, arelawmakers doing enough
to call out anti-Semitism?
- I think we should callit out wherever it exists
and I don't think we should be afraid
to acknowledge the fact that it does exist
and that where it doesexist it's not acceptable.
- The President today, heis calling, he's pushing
for the Muslim Brotherhoodto be designated
as a terror group, what do you think
is that a good move?
- Insofar as the Presidentof the United States
believes that that orany other organization
is a terror group, Ithink there's good reason
to pay attention.
The President does have afair amount of authority
to do that, he's also in aposition to receive information
about what organizationsare supporting terror.
- Democrats are very dividedon the issue of impeachment,
Senator, your thoughts on this.
Do you think we'll see anyaction on the impeachment front.
- I don't think so, I think it would be
an unwise for them politically,
really it is a politicalquestion rather than a legal one.
Any Congress at any time can decide
to make any act thatthey perceive as wrong
an impeachable offense.
But if you overreach, if youdo so where the American people
weren't behind you or youhave no path toward removal,
I'm not sure what purpose it serves
and I suspect that if they did it
they would find it tobe a political mistake.
I think it would end up
strengthening the President's positions
rather than weakening it.
- Infrastructure is the topicof the White House today.
There's some questionthough, this can actually be
an issue where Democrats andRepublicans find common ground.
I know Mitch McConnell hassaid he's kind of skeptical
about it, what do you think
can there be consensus on this issue?
Can this be a point of unity?
- I think it could be a point of unity
if we chose to do somethingthat would actually make
for more infrastructure, meaningif it could make it easier
to get more steel andconcrete into the ground
so that moms and dads throughout America
can spend more time with their families
and less time stuck in gridlocked traffic
to and from work.
I think the best way to dothat, maybe the only way
to do that right now would be to
lower the federal gasoline tax,
take it from 18.4 cents per gallon down
to four cents per gallon.
You use that to
maintain the existingfederal highway system.
The remaining 14.4 cents pergallon could be collected
and spent by the states as they chose.
What's interesting about that is
that money would goanother 30 or 40% further
than it does with federal money
because it wouldn't be encumbered
with all these federalregulations and restrictions
on how much you pay employees.
- Finally, let's talk aboutyour book Our Lost Declaration.
Tell us about this, whatmade you decide to write it?
- It has occurred to me manytimes in the last few years
that in order to understandthe founding of our country
you have to tell stories behind it
and I've written a couplebooks about the Constitution.
As I researched to writethose I realized more and more
that we need to be focusing
on the Declaration of Independence.
It's as though theDeclaration of Independence
is the picture, the Constitutionis the frame around it
but the picture itself is the Declaration.
So it's also occurred to me that
there has been a lack of civics education
in our public education system.
A lot of kids today aren't being taught
about Thomas Jefferson,
about the Declaration of Independence
about what King George was doing wrong
that led to it and about the principles,
about human nature that are embracing it.
So, I wrote this book for moms and dads,
grandmas and grandpas across America
who want their children to betaught the same way they were,
to learn these principles of our founding.
This book enables them to do that.
- Alright, Senator Mike Lee, thank you.
- Thank you.
- [John] Coming together to call on God.
How the Jewish and Christiancommunities are finding peace
after the deadly Californiasynagogue shooting.
(dramatic music)
- After the tragic synagogue shooting
in California this week, areminder of hope tonight.
- That's right it comes asthe faith community there
is joining together calling for unity.
- A piercing sadness andsuffering echoed forth
in our land and this time not far away
but here in our own county of San Diego.
And yet, a short time later,a much more powerful sound,
a sound of resilienceand strength and hope,
the sign of faith in God,the sign of the willingness
to find love even amidst themost trying and horrifying
of circumstances.
- During the interfaith vigil,
people from differentChristian denominations
joined with the Jewishcommunities to pray, sing
and they also pledged to remain faithful.
And that's something Ithink we accomplished to do
just to keep them in ourminds and in our prayers.
- And in our hearts.
- Yeah.
Well, that's gonna do itfor tonight's Faith Nation.
Thanks for joining us.
- Have a great evening.
(dramatic music)
